When Moses' father-in-law saw all that [Moses] was doing for the people, he said, 'What are you doing to the people? Why are you sitting by yourself and letting all the people stand around you from morning until evening?'

'Let them administer justice for the people on a regular basis. Of course, they will have to bring every major case to you, but they can judge the minor cases by themselves. They will then share the burden, making things easier for you.

There is a question as to whether or not the Torah is in chronological order here. According to some, Jethro came before the giving of the Ten Commandments, while according to others, he came afterward (Zevachim 116a; Ramban).

Jethro Actually, 'Jethro, father-in-law of Moses.' The same is true in Exodus 18:5 and 18:12, but for the sake of simplicity, it is abbreviated.

Through their very plots... (Targum; Rashi; Septuagint). Literally, 'Because in the thing that they plotted on them.' Alternatively, 'The very thing they plotted came on them' (Abarbanel); 'Through their very plots, He amused Himself with them' (Rashbam, cf. Exodus 10:2); 'I am aware of how the [Egyptians] plotted against [the Israelites]' (Ramban; Chizzkuni). Or 'He saved the people from Egypt's power despite all their plots against them' (Ralbag).

before God Aware of God's presence (Ralbag; Hirsch). Others say that 'before God' denotes that they were in front of the altar Moses had built (Exodus 17:15; Sforno; Abarbanel), the burning bush (Josephus 3:3), Mount Sinai (Ralbag), or Moses' tent (Ibn Ezra, Sekhel Tov). Or, 'of what was offered before God' (Chizzkuni).

The next day Simply, the day after Jethro had come (Ibn Ezra; Ramban; Josephus 3:4:1). There is however, a tradition, that this was on the day after Yom Kippur, right after Moses came down with the second set of Tablets (Mekhilta; Targum Yonathan; Rashi; see Exodus 34:29, Deuteronomy 10:5).

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